Dreaming Reality
by Rayna102
Summary: Riley Griffin has been dreaming of the ground since she was nine years old. She never expected to see her dreams come to life before her eyes...Nor did she thought to see beautiful green eyes that had long been drawn on the pages of her Journal, down to the face paint on her face glaring at Riley so... viciously.
1. Chapter 1

**Full Summary:** Riley Griffin has been dreaming of the ground since she was nine years old. They were vivid and filled her mind with beautiful images of what was waiting on Earth. She never expected to see her dreams come to life before her eyes once the Dropship landed herself, her twin sister Clarke, and 98 other delinquents on the Ground. Nor to see the beautiful green eyes that had long been drawn on the pages of her Journal, down to the face paint which surrounded them glaring at her so... viciously.

 **So I've been playing with this idea for a 100 fanfic at the back of my head for a while and here it is. I hope it isn't as bad as I am fearing...Yes, this is my very first fanfic, and though kind comments are appreciated and very much enjoyed, I am not closed off to productive criticism. In any case this is a trial run on whether I should continue with this idea or not...I just want to see how it goes for now and decide from that.**

 **Thank you all and please enjoy the chapter!**

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 _Years ago, when I was eight, maybe nine, I had my first dream_ _of the ground - Earth - and I can still remember seeing it all so clearly. Like it was really right there in front of me. There was the warmth of the sun rays against my skin, the sweet scent of wildflowers carried by a fresh breeze of pure air, green and tall trees surrounded me for what seemed to be miles, and the dirt and stray leaves on the ground felt wet from previous rain. It wasn't the Earth that was described in the books we read for Earth Skills, but the Earth that awaited for us. The Earth of the future, after the nuclear apocalypse, and the radiation was gone. We could go home._

 _For ninety-seven years, humanity took refuge in the vast vacuum of space, being the only survivors of the bombs. Back then, there were twelve nations that had operational space stations, the remains of humankind. It was them who came together and created the 'Ark'. One station from the many which now holds well over one thousand people. Space and oxygen were clearly a constant issue, and so strict laws were enforced on everyone for the sake of survival, and with the hope of living long enough to see humans on the ground again._

 _It was the dream each and every single person held on the Ark. My dream also since I could remember._

 _Pity. I'll never get to actually see for myself. One because there were still a few hundred more years before humanity could go back to the ground. Two, because even if I had managed to live that long, there were zero chances of me surviving my eighteenth birthday. Juvenile criminals of the Ark hardly did._

 _All crimes on the Ark were punishable by death, and everyone over the age of eighteen found guilty was ejected into space - 'floated' being the term commonly used. Those who weren't eighteen or older were sent to lockup, though it was better known as the 'Skybox' until they turned eighteen and their files would be reviewed by the Council. By then, the decision would be taken whether the said juvenile offender would be executed or not. Lovely way to spend one's birthday, really. The fact your life hangs in the balance adds just the right tone of anxiety and bone striking fear everyone needs in their life._

 _I had one more month before my review, mine and my sister's actually since we were twins. However, the odds of Clarke surviving were more plausible than mine considering I was the younger one. The forbidden second child no one else in the Ark was allowed to have - overpopulation being a huge issue - but I was allowed to live. No one knew I was on the way along with Clarke, no one had seen me on any sonogram seeing that my twin sister covered me completely with her body, and no one in the Council wanted to be responsible for sentencing a baby to a cruel prolonged death in space. That being said, I had a very tight rope wrapped around my neck in which any toe out of line could sign my death warrant. That has been my life until now._

 _Now, as I sit here on my cell in solitary, writing in the old worn out Journal that my Dad - Jake Griffin - gave to me for my ninth birthday, I'm counting my days until my birthday. There were no dreams or nightmares today at least, but I didn't get any sleep either. For a while, I've had this restless feeling inside me that doesn't seem to want to leave me alone. Like something is about to happen. Something big and life-changing. What could it possi-_

.

"Prisoner 3-1-8, turn around and face the wall." A male voice barked the order causing Riley Griffing to stop writing mid-word, her head turning instantly to the now open door that had led in two guards, both male. One on the right carried what appeared to be a black box seemingly heavy as he carried it with both arms. The other was to the left, probably for in case the seventeen-year-old blonde attempted to run away if the shock stick on the side of the black belt of his equally black vested uniform was anything to go by. He could also have it there to subdue her in case she tried to not go with what they were saying which made Riley do as she was asked despite the million questioned popping inside her head, Journal and pencil still in her hand. She didn't really much want to know what it was like to be shocked by a stick that had the same voltage as the pedals used on patients when they crashed on the operating table or otherwise.

"What's going on?" Riley asked her back to the two guards, blue eyes looking over her shoulder wearily watching their movements as the guard on the right moved farther into her cell. She watched him open the black box to reveal about four metal bracelets, and panic began to set in her body twitching with the sudden need to run. "I don't turn eighteen for another month, boys. You're early."

"Be quiet and hold out your right arm, 3-1-8." Guard on the left ordered but Riley wasn't having any of it. If she was going to get killed earlier, then they should at least have the common courtesy to tell her as such.

"How about, no?" Riley snarked turning back around quickly just in time for the guard on the right to open the metal bracelet and the other to take out the shock stick. She watched them for a moment eyes darting out from one to the other. There was no way Riley could actually take them on in a fight. One, she didn't know how to actually fight, other than throw punches. Two, size and build were solemnly not on her side. Nevertheless, Riley doubted the could move fast enough.

"Prisoner 3-0-8 -"

Riley was about to sprint as soon as the Guards started to move towards her, but stopped at the voice coming from the outside of her cell. It gave the two Guards long enough time to subdue her. The one at the left held her still as possible while she struggled, Journal and pencil falling from her grip, while the guard on the right enclosed the metal bracelet around her right wrist. Riley let out a hiss at the sensation of needles digging into he flesh grasping her hand as she was finally released.

"Wait! Let me see her!" The voice sounded again, closer this time and the door to her cell opened once more to reveal Abby Griffin, Riley's mother and the Head of Medical. It took Abby a second took to take in the sight of her youngest, who stared at her with deeper blue eyes than that of her father and sister. She swore Riley had grown since the last time she saw her while both her and Clarke were being taken away from her too. "Riley," Abby called out gently her vision becoming slightly blurred, just as her daughters were and then a second later Riley was in her arms once more, holding on tightly, her body shivering likely from the fear she must be feeling than the colder temperatures that were normal for the Skybox.

"Mom!" Her daughter cried out taking in everything from her mother all at once. The feel of her arms, the warmth, her scent thinking that this would be her last time to do so. "Mom, what's happening? Are they Floating me early because I'm the second child? What about Clarke? Is she okay? Are they-"

"Sshh. Riley. Baby, it's okay." Abby tried to soothe her daughter as she pulled away giving the guards behind her daughter a look before focusing back on the panicking teen. "Listen to me you are not getting Floated. No one is getting Floated."

Blue eyes blinked up at the female doctor in confusion. "Wha-"

"You are being sent to the ground. You, Clarke, and all the other juvenile prisoners."

The word 'ground' had Riley's head spinning with images from her dreams. She once more saw the tall canopy of trees in a small clearing, felt the wet earth and fallen leaves by her foot, the sun, the light, a clear blue sky. It took a while before her mind came into focus and the words her mom had said fully registered in her brain. Ground. They were being sent to the radiation gold mine that was Earth. A death sentence, no matter how you looked at it because if radiation didn't kill them, the drop from the Ark surely would. "You are killing us reduce population and to give you guys more time." She breathed out shaking her head and tears streaming down her cheek. "No, no, mom."

"It is the best chance you all have Riley. A _second_ chance." Her mom stressed but the words were of no comfort to Riley at all. Sure getting ejected into space sucked and it a was a slow death but compared to dying of radiation it was a quicker, less painful way to go. "Listen to me okay, Riley." The hard tone Abby used gained the attention of the girl once more. "You and Clarke, I know that you'll want to take care of everyone first, just like your father but I need you to be careful. I can't lose both of you too-"

"Mom you're sending us to the ground-"

"Stay close to your sister. Always." Abby continued cutting her daughter off and giving her a pained but stern look. "Everything will be okay." The ruefully, Riley watched as her mother smiled and moved a few strands of blonde hair from her face. "You have your dreams to help you."

"Mom, those are just dreams." Riley shook her head while remembering how her Dad always used to say the same thing. It was weird, and the way he sometimes said it felt like he knew something Riley was missing. The idea behind what he and now her mom meant was ludicrous though. Her mom should know better being the woman of science that she was. "Dreams are just dreams they don't mean anything."

"That's more enough." One of the guards said Riley wasn' sure which as she looked into her mom's brown eyes. This could be the last time she ever spoke to her or even saw her. Chances of her survival were slim even if her mom thought otherwise

"Dr. Griffin, we have to take her away." Added the other one almost with a hint of regret as her mom's eyes flashed towards the guards nodding grimly.

"I love you mom," The blonde teen rushed the words just as her arms were being taken by one guard and placed in a hold behind her back. " I love you so much." Her voice broke, and though there were tears in Abby's eyes the woman refused to let them fall as she nodded at her youngest. She took in every aspect of Riley's face before quickly kneeling down and taking the Journal from the floor swiftly in one move. Then before the guards started to push her away from the cell, Riley saw as she was once more embraced by her mother surprised to feel her hands hiding the old Journal in the waistband of her jeans, and hiding it under her shirt.

"I love you too, Riley. So much," Abby told her squeezing her and turning her head slightly to whisper in her daughter's ear. "Don't forget what I told you. Okay. Stay safe."

The seventeen-year-old blonde didn't get to say anything else as she was soon being taken away from her mom and pushed out of her cell by both guards. As soon, as she stepped out, however, Riley watched in slight horror as to however the other teens were being taken from their cells. Each of the screaming, and struggling against the guards, some demanding what was happening. The scene was pure chaos, and nerve-racking, with the noise making her ears buzz. Still, even over all of this, Riley was still able to hear the frantic yell of her name making her head whip around at the familiar voice.

Clarke.

"Riley!"

Her blue eyes met with a lighter version of her own and suddenly, the tears were falling from her face once more. "Clarke!" She yelled out in a choked cry attempting to turn and get a better look at her twin. Her big sister whom she hadn't seen since they were both arrested and their father Floated. "Clarke!" Sadly, the small attempt to get a better view of her sister proved futile as she was soon pushed once more and the entire view of the Skybox was blocked from her sight, the guards walking her away.

"You'll see her again kid," Said the guard from behind Riley causing the teen to look over her shoulder. Her blue eyes met with his brown ones, and Riley shook her head.

"For how long before we're both dead?" She questioned and the guard became silent while Riley tried to shake the image of her sister dying. All the jokes they'd made about being born together, living together, and then dying together, and it now it was happening. Riley didn't want it to come to that though. She wanted to believe that if there was the slight chance of survival, that they would survive. As slim as that chance was, the blonde wanted to believe it.

 _Look on the bright side, at least you get to see Earth_ , Riley's subconscious cheered before adding, _for a few seconds before your literally spill your guts out and die._

Closing her eyes, Riley tried to shake the thought away and stay positive. It's what Clarke and her Dad would have told her to do by now, so she kept most thoughts of her impending demise to herself as she was lead quickly down with the other delinquents. She tried to look and see if she recognized anything of her surrounding but everything was strange and new. There was nothing about this part of the Ark that even seemed relatively familiar to her other than the guards who were pushing the delinquents down for another five to four flight of stairs before they lead them into the ship that was supposedly taking them to the ground. By now, every few continued to struggle most have come to terms with their fate as they were arranged in groups by the Guard. They were lead inside one by one, one guard at the door of the ship while two other's patted down the delinquents, gave them a jacket, and checked from the bracelet. Those were the only ones she could see but suspected there were more on the ship.

It was a long line before Riley was padded down and checked for the device. She met eyes with one of the guards patting her down hoping he wouldn't notice the Journal hidden in her clothes. Part of her cursing her mother because if that was found she could see herself getting into so much trouble. It was nice that her mom wanted her to have one of the last few things her Dad ever gave her, but the timing sucked. Riley only released the breath she'd been holding once both Guards nodded giving her the clear, and handed Riley her jacket. She walked up to the guard on at the door.

"Bracelet?" She demanded and Riley lifted her right arm, watching the dark-skinned woman nod in approval, before rushing her inside where another guard greeted her and led the blonde to the stairs passing through the empty spaces of the lower floor. Riley climbed up and yet another guard was waiting for her, as he leads her to a seat. This one was forceful as he all but shoved Riley into her seat.

"You sit here." He told her as if she were an idiot or a toddler. Riley wasn't sure which was worse, but either way, she glared at the guard. He ignored her. "Straps on and they don't come off until you're told so." He didn't leave until Riley was all strapped.

Watching him, Riley couldn't help herself and mumble. "And just who is going to tell me that, asshole?" The guard, however, did not hear her and continued to place more upcoming delinquents in their seats.

"Good to know you're still the same, Riles." The blonde girl froze at the voice beside her. One she had heard since being a little kid playing with her sister, and one had certainly never expected to hear again. She turned her head to the side gaping openly at Wells Jaha, the Chancellors very son, and her and Clarke best friend since diapers basically. The shock, however, was quick to wear off as the anger began to bobble inside her from what he had done. Wells saw this change and opened his mouth to speak, but Riley didn't want to hear it.

"Don't," She spoke harshly and her tone cold making Wells flinch. Not two years ago, Riley would have spoken him with a smile, warm tone as she teased him endlessly about her sister. Something he would reciprocate whenever the blonde herself had a crush on a certain girl. They were friends then. The three musketeers, but not anymore. Not since she and Clarke had been arrested and their father Floated. "Whatever you were going to say, or even thinking of saying Wells, just don't."

"Riley."

She closed her eyes and shook her head, turning to look away from the dark-skinned boy. "I don't want to hear it, Wells. I don't want to talk to you." There was a pause and then silence, so Riley took that as a sign that Wells was going to leave her alone. The two stayed silent as the seats began to fill with the delinquents, and neither so much as glanced at the other, or well, Riley refused to even look in the general direction of her right side, which was were Wells so happened to sit. As childish as her action was though, the blonde had not been kidding. Looking at Wells now, only reminded her of what the boy had done, of what his actions had taken from her. It wasn't something she could forget.

Her Dad. Her Dad had only wanted to do the right thing, and he was Floated for it. A stray tear fell from Riley's left eye but she was quick to wipe it off before anyone noticed, before Wells noticed. It was then that she caught movement from the corner of her eye prompting Riley to look up, and gasp as she saw one guard place down an unconscious body, on the seat beside her. Clarke's unconscious body.

"What the hell did you do to her?!" Riley growled using her hands to shake Clarke. "Clarke? Clarke!"

"She's been sedated." The asshole Guard from before told her. "Now be quiet and stay still unless you want to join her in dreamland."

Oh, that was it. "How about you-"

"Riley," Wells warned from her right an edge of concern lacing his tone, and Riley just knew he was looking at Clarke too. That he was worried about her. "She's going to be okay. Probably will be waking up soon."

Clenching her jaw, and glaring furiously at the guard as he left them be Riley repositioned her sisters head so she would be more comfortable and not have neck pain when she woke up. She also made sure to check on Clarke's pulse, not believing any of the imbeciles the Guard so happened to be filled with had used an overdose. Once she had and felt the pulse come out as normal the younger of the two blondes leaned back against her seat trying to relax. Her eyes closed for a fraction of a moment trying to reign in the panic and anxiety and pain that were rushing through her in huge waves. The feeling from the last few days all made sense now, somehow. She'd felt something big coming. Riley just never suspected it was this.

 _'You are being sent to the ground.'_

 _'You have your dreams to help you.'_

 _'Always trust your dreams Riley-Bear,'_ Her Dad's voice in her head caused Riley to open her eyes almost instantly. _'Those and your instincts will take you far when you feel lost.'_ Without much thought, Riley pulled out her Journal from its hidden place and opened it. She flipped through the pages stopping at one particular one which had an illustration she'd drawn years back. Now, Riley wasn't as big an artist as Clarke was, but she wasn't lacking in skill either. The image was vivid, almost as if it was really with the details she'd placed on the trunks of the trees, and the ground of the small clearing. She didn't remember dreaming this - she usually didn't remember dreams much - but she did remember drawing it.

She'd spent hours on it according to her mom as she had been off from the Med Bay and spending the day at home with her and Clarke while their Dad worked. Riley only remembered the strokes of her pencil. The image she was trying to place her head before it went away completely. To this day, Riley looked at this picture and thought that this was what the Earth would look like but with more color, more real. It was around this time that she and Clarke had begun to draw images of Earth. From either their books or just by their imagination. None of them had felt as real as this one did though. It set a feeling down in her brain. Like a long forgotten memory.

"Think the ground will look anything like that?" Riley heard Wells ask, seeing her former best friends looking down at her drawing with her.

Looking at him, Riley found she didn't have enough sufficient strength to tell Wells off. The past events and her own mind slipping to her Dad were beginning to leave her with the sufficient energy. So instead, she shrugged and looked at Wells in the eyes briefly before looking back at the drawing. "I don't know, Wells." The blonde sighed shaking her head. "It's just a drawing."

Dreams were dreams, and drawings were just that, drawings. No matter how real the actually looked.

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 **Feedback if the fuel to my writing, so please tell me what you think! Stick around if you want more and Thank you for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Heya Readers! So here is chapter 2! And OMG! I actually did expect so many people to Review/Favorite/Follow this story. To be honest I was actually expecting it to crash and burn... BUT I am glad that you guys liked it so much and that you took the time to even Review it! So here is chapter 2, and I hope you guys enjoy it as much as you did he first chapter. Please be sure to tell me what you think in your REVIEWS!**

 **Special shoutout to : Tegan88,** **Tracianna97, Stripeus, DrawingTheMoon, B.01! I loved each and every single one of your Reviews and I hope to meet your expectations for this story as it continues to progress.**

 **Update: 5/10/2018 (Just realized that the ending of this chapter is stale and quite frankly it sucks so I decided to fix it by adding about once more scene. Sorry for the inconviniance you guys!)**

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 _Fear doesn't settle until I turn to look past the river, to the other side. Something nasty settles in my stomach making it flip over in a horrible way. There are shadows from the other side, movement. I'm awake before I find out anything else, or see anything. As soon as I woke up, bile arouses in my throat and spilled all over the floor of mine and Clarke's bedroom. It doesn't fade after a while and Clarke wakes up screaming for Mom and Dad while she rushed to my side and runs her hand through my back soothingly. Mom and Dad came in within seconds, and I'm rushed to Medical. Nothing was wrong that they could see per say, but I was given fluids and something for my stomach._

 _All in all, it was a sucky morning but the day got slowly better. I fell asleep in class but didn't dream of anything - probably because I was too tired to even bother - which gave me some rest. Clarke actually managed to almost beat Wells at chess during recess but the game ended up in a draw, which wasn't too great but the sulking expression on both my older twin and best friend was, so I'm not complaining. Later on, Mom tried to make soup and failed miserably, Dad had to take over saying that 'food poisoning' was not a nice feeling. He got in trouble with Mom for that comment, but she didn't deny anything he had said._

 _I won't admit it, but I -_

.

.

A small groan from Riley's side had the young blonde looking away from one of her first entries on her Journal to her right side where Clarke was starting to come back around. She closed the old Journal with a snap trying to shake away the memories that her younger self's writing was bringing back, to focus on her sister. It took a while, but Riley let her older twin blink a few times and adjust her sight to her surroundings, taking everything in just as the ship rocked slightly. Letting out a hiss and wincing, Riley watched as Clarke lifted her hand to inspect the device glaring at it for a second. Then, sensing her gaze on her, waiting, Clarke turned her head relief shining in her eyes the instant they met Riley's. The younger blonde smiled, before tilting her head to the side.

"How was dreamland Sleeping Beauty?" Riley asked using the same question Clarke would use whenever she came back from drifting off during the day.

The older Griffin twin let out a comical snort, but before she could say anything Clarke's eyes focused on the other person beside Riley, her blue eyes widening in shock. Immediately, Riley followed her gaze and tensed as both Wells and Clarke looked at each other. Keeping a mental countdown, Riley waited for Clarke to seeing Wells again. The last time they had seen each other had been when they were arrested, and Clarke had been more vocal than Riley on her feelings. She was usually the more vocal twin anyway considering Riley was quieter and chose to show most emotions through sarcasm or sass. This trip just got one hell of a lot more difficult, because if Riley reacted as she did, the younger twin could only imagine Clarke's reaction would be.

"Wells, what the hell are you doing here?" Clarke demanded tone glacier cold and hard, with just the smallest hint of shock. While Riley turned to look at her with an incredulous expression. Sure she understood the question to an extent but wouldn't it be more accurate to ask _why_ he was here. Not that Riley needed to know the reason, considering she knew how oblivious her sister could be, and how predictable Wells was when it came to her.

That, however, did not stop her from being, well Riley. "I'm going to go on a hunch and assume he was arrested," She commented with a false nonchalant shrug, before moving her eyes forwards. "You know, since he has a wristband, is on the ship destination Earth or more precisely -"

"Not now, Riley."

"Mom?" Riley gasped looking at Clarke with wide eyes, as her twin used exactly the same tone Abby Griffin took with her youngest. "How did you get yourself to look so much like Clarke? Great disguise, really." Clarke glared at her for a moment and had this been a better situation, Riley would have doubled over laughing. Given that it wasn't the best time though, Riley resorted to a wide grin instead. She wondered secretly if Clarke realized just how much she looked like their mom when she did that

"Once I heard they were sending delinquents to the Ground I got myself arrested," Wells stepped in, confirming what Riley had subsequently meant, and most likely because he sensed where the conversation would have ended up had the two Griffin continued. " I came for you." He added while looking at Riley startled while she simply raised an eyebrow at Wells. "For both of you."

Clarke, however, gaped at their former best friend while Riley turned to Wells with an unimpressed stare. "Smooth, Wells." She commented sarcastically to which Wells was about to respond if it weren't for the sudden jerk of the ship. Several of the delinquents cried out in fear, Riley herself moving to hold tightly to her seatbelts, dropping her Journal in the process. The ship rattled, giving a distinct feeling that this was it. There would be no deaths from radiation because they would all probably die before they ever had the chance to. At least it wouldn't be slow and painful, just a quick one minute you are alive the next you are not.

 _How comforting,_ Riley thought trying to regulate her breathing just as the shaking began to subside.

"What was that?!" Clarke gasped and for once Riley didn't have a comment to that. Even though she could. In fact, part of her head had even come up with the response already, like instinct. Her lips though were sealed shut from pure horror at about what was to come.

"That was the atmosphere," Wells informed them just as the lights of the ship were turned on, along with several screens positioned so that everyone could see. Riley's attention and everyone else's was easily captured towards them while they began to play a message portrayed by none other than Wells dad. Chancellor Jaha.

It could have been worse though. It could have been Kane. He was never one for emotional speaking, or emotional anything really. Riley had suspected, still did for that matter, that Marcus Kane was some form of artificial intelligence trapped in a human body. Not that Jaha was any better, just a little actually by what she had seen of his friendship with her Dad and how he had behaved with Wells and before she passed away his wife. Then again, he had Floated her Dad for trying to do the right thing, let his son get arrested and sent to Earth for what could be his death, and refused to bend the rule slightly to save Carla from dying of the illness that took her. No special treatment for anyone, but he had at least felt something at some point. Riley wasn't so sure on Kane, other than ambition, but she had never around the guy all that much. She just knew he was an ass, and what she had seen confirmed he was an ass.

"Prisoners of The Ark, hear me now." Jaha video self started with his speech as he kept his face completely impassive. "You've been given a second chance, and as your Chancellor, it is my hope that you see this as not just a chance for you, but a chance for all of us, indeed for mankind itself. We have no idea what is waiting for you down there. If the odds of survival were better, we would've sent others. Frankly, we're sending you because your crimes have made you expendable." _Nevermind, Kane should have done the video,_ Riley thought shaking her head at the message the Chancellor had just portrayed. _Did he even realize his son was on this very same ship?_

"You're Dad's a dick, Wells," Someone voiced not too far away from where Wells, Clarke, and Riley were the dark-skinned boy just leaning back on his seat and shaking his head before going back to watching his father on the screen. It wasn't the first time he'd gotten hate from their peers because of who his father was. Riley and Clarke themselves were exposed to scrutiny from others because their mom was a Council member, and though their dad wasn't he was very highly regarded. There was no secret that they had some leniency for those who had some power in the Ark, most people thought so in the Ark, and Riley had been a living proof of the fact. A second child that had been allowed to roam free with both of her parents alive to tell the tale. 'Privileged', was what some kids had taunted on her face more than once.

'Privileged'. If only they knew what really went down.

"The drop site has been chosen carefully." Jaha continued with his speech while Riley was all too focused on whipping clean certain memories and feelings away from her head. They wouldn't help anyone and certainly not her. "Before the last war, Mount Weather was a military base built within a mountain. It was to be stocked with enough non-perishables to sustain three hundred people for up to two years."

Something went off inside Riley the instant Jaha said Mount Weather. A sense of fear, confusion, and cold overtook her body making her shiver despite the fact she was now wearing a jacket. She saw a river with her on the opposite side of where shadows lingered in the shape of what could be people. They were taking form shape, and an uneasy feeling settled in her stomach because she saw blood, so much blood from falling into the river. It made her feel sick, dizzy-

"..ley."

"Riley."

"Riley!"

"Spacewalk bandit strikes again."

"Whoo!"

"Go, Finn!"

Blinking as everything came into focus once more, Riley looked to see one of the delinquents, a boy with brown hair that reached just below his chin by a whisper, wearing a beanie. There was a grin on his face and his dark brown eyes were laughing and bright as he floated right in front of her, Wells, and Clarke. "Are you a moron?" She mumbled fighting the urge to throw up all on his 'pretty boy' face. The boy, however, acted as if Riley hadn't even spoken, choosing instead to cross his arm over his chest and look at Wells.

"Check it out. Your dad floated me, after all." He joked turning his head to the side. "Aren't you looking a little bit green there, Blue Eyes?"

Riley looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Come closer and I might just barf in your face, Pretty Face." She snarked and he grinned at her smug. Riley just rolled her eyes at him again. Someone had a bit of an ego. It's wasted on me though.

"You should strap in before the parachutes deploy," Wells warned him before turning to Riley who beginning to lose color on her face. "Riley are you okay? Where did you go?"

Not wanted to open her mouth to say, anything Riley turned her head away only to catch two other boys trying to follow in Pretty Face little stunt. They were obviously not the brightest of the bunch, neither of them. All it would take was another jerk of the ship, pressure, a tumble here and there, and boom instant death for all of the three of them unless they got extremely lucky.

"Hey, you two, stay put if you want to live," Clarke warned the other two her voice filled with some fear as the shaking became gradually worse. Riley wasn't surprised to see that the two boys didn't listen. Idiots had a thing were the couldn't quite grasp the concept of reason and rationality like the fact that when you are being dropped into a planet, who-knows at what speed the best thing is to not be floating around for when you land. A simple knowledge of gravity should have sufficed to know that little fact.

"Hey, you're the traitors who have been in solitary for a year." Pretty Face stated looking at both Clarke and Riley curiously before grinning once more. "The Ark's twin sisters."

"You're the idiot who wasted a month of oxygen on an illegal spacewalk," Clarke retorted, Riley smirking slightly before another shake of the ship had her gaging and swallowing her own vomit. This really was a horrible situation to feel sick in.

"But it was fun." He stated as if that should have been reason enough. "I'm Finn."

"And we could care less so why don't you," Riley took in a deep breath feeling sweat beading down her forehead as she struggled to not throw up, "go back to your seat like a good little Ken Boy, before you get yourself and those two morons killed."

"Riley are you -"

"Fine," Riley looked at Clarke before nodding towards the floating idiots. "But they won't be."

The older blonde looked at the two boys, her eyes going wide as she saw them already floating. "Stay in your seats!" She yelled at them just as there was another big jerk to the ship and unable to hold it anymore, Riley doubled over and threw up on the floor. At the same time, both Pretty Face - Finn - and the other two boys were thrown across into the ground. The retching did not stop and Riley felt two familiar hands begin to soothe her back while everyone else panics and voices were drawn out to a simple buzzing in her ears before she was finally able to calm down some. She closed her eyes shut, breathing became irregular, which to be honest she'd held back long enough before this happened.

"Why," the younger blonde's voice cracked, as she was pulled back on her seat by her twin and Wells. Deep blue eyes snapping open seeing the smoak and spark fill around the ship in terror. "Why is it shaking so much?!"

"I don't know," Wells responded and Riley could see him shaking his head from the corner of her eyes before he looked at Clarke. "Retrorockets ought to have fired by now."

"Okay. Everything on this ship is a hundred years old, right?" Clarke's own voice went on a high note as she looked from Wells to Riley, the two made eye contact. "Just give it a second." She added whipping away some of Riley sweat, using the same hand to hold Riley's the younger Griffin returning the gesture and holding onto Clarke's had like it was a lifeline. It was something they had always done, even when they were newborns or so their parents told them. Riley herself had looked into it and found that it was something twins did for comfort. They hugged or held hands or simply touched as a way to send a comforting message from one to the other.

In this case, they were both afraid and both sought for some semblance of the feeling that it would be okay. That they weren't alone in this moment.

"There's something I have to tell you both." Both twins turned to look at Wells, seeing the same horror in his eyes. "I'm sorry I got your father arrested."

"Stop." Riley shook her head and closed her eyes. _Don't talk about him._

"Don't you talk about our father!" Clarke cried out voicing what Riley was thinking as there was another jerk, more screams. Riley and Clarke's hand held the other tighter, the grip almost bruising.

"Please, I can't die knowing that you hate me!" Wells continued and Riley just continued to shake her head. She was afraid, so, so very afraid of actually dying. Something she hadn't felt even when she knew she was going to die on her cell in solitary. Riley even remembered planning on the last day leave a little eulogy on her notebook for her Mom and Clarke - in case her twin was pardoned for her 'crimes'. There had been a decision to not wanting to die with her last emotion, her last memory being of fear, or anger, or anything that might consume her and just make it worse. Now though, now Riley was feeling all of that, and then some just as she was about to die.

"They didn't arrest my father, Wells. They executed him!" Clarke told him in anger and pain. "I do hate you."

"Stop it!" Riley screamed snuffing out any scream or words that Wells could have said. The younger blonde looking from her best friend to her older sister in resignation. "Both of you just stop it. I don't want us to die like this." She added her voice breaking as the once three amigos, Musketeers as her Dad had once called them teasingly looked at each other. Another jerk, more screams, lights fading in and out, crashing sounds coming from the outside, sparks flying around them. Riley was beginning to regret never being one for religion, feeling the terror of this being it. Then, as if by some miracle it all began to stop he a big bang as the ship finally hit the ground.

.

.

The light's flickered back on and everything began to grow silent minus the erratic breathing of everyone teen around them, and finally unmoving. Riley herself had a hard time opening her eyes once more and releasing her hold from Clarke. Not that the latter was much of a problem seeing that her sister was having a similar predicament. After some seconds though, the younger blonde began to relax slow and opened her eyes once more.

"Listen," One of the male delinquents breathed, he was strapped to the wall and looked at the boy next to him before looking up at the roof of the ship. He was tan, with dark hair and almond shaped brown eyes and if this was the old world his features could have been better described as Asian. "No machine hum."

"Whoa," The guy next to him, pale skin and slightly lighter dark hair who with goggles at the top of his head for some reason, gasped looking around him in. awe as everyone began to regain their senses. "That's a first."

Riley let out a sigh of relief almost at the same time as Clarke, trying to get herself back in order and reluctantly releasing her hold on her sister's hand. The buckles click and in less than a second, Clarke is out of them and moving to the two fallen boys that had followed Finn in his floating stunt. It took a moment, a glance at Wells, a shake of her head when he tried to say something, and then Riley followed after her sister just as everyone was moving to the lower levels. She stood behind Clarke and with only a glance to the two unmoving bodies, Riley knew the two boys were dead. Both on impact, the one Clarke was checking for a pulse died of a broken neck. With the jerk of the ship, the most likely broke it when he hit the ground. The other, whom Finn was also checking for a pulse, it could have been the impact on the head, but Riley wouldn't be able to tell unless she got a closer look at the body.

"Finn, is he breathing?" Clarke asked looking at the body of the other boy only to see Finn shake his head. Riley however, focused more on how he kept his gaze on the ground in shame and guilt, how he avoided meeting either her or Clarke's eyes. Gone was the smug teen boy that had talked to them while floating, as he saw what his action had caused. It was a normal reaction and he was responsible, to some account, for their deaths but there was nothing he could do anymore. In the end, following Finn had been their decision too, so he wasn't completely at fault. Not really.

 _It wasn't his fault,_ Riley thought wincing visibly as another memory invaded her mind's eye, of herself a year ago. She was curled up in a ball, on a far corner of her cell in solitary repeating the words over and over again. _'It wasn't my fault'_. Then it came to a point where Riley actually believed them. It followed her mantra of ' _Dreams are just dreams'_. However, looking at how Finn now knelt before the two bodies, Riley found it all more difficult to chase away her memories away. Their situations were not the same, not really, but the feelings, the guilt and shame it was all there for her to see all over again and it stung like nothing ever had.

"The outer door is on the lower level." She heard one of the delinquents yell as they all began to fill out even more. "Let's go."

"No. We can't just open the doors." Clarke snapped into action following after the other while Riley and Finn stayed rooted where they were, the former looking over her shoulder at Clarke, watching as her older sister went off. It wasn't like they could stay inside forever either. Eventually, they would have to step outside and either die from radiation painfully slow or find that they might just miraculously find that Earth was survivable. That, however, wasn't Riley's focus at the moment as she turned to look back at Finn.

Walking over to the forlorn boy, Riley took off his beanie in a swift motion, gaining his attention in a snap. "Just because they followed you in all your imbecilic glory, doesn't mean their deaths are on you." She told him meeting his dark brown eyes without flinching. He had been almost about to cry from how glossed his eyes seemed but was holding back a great deal. It was adorable. Like when someone told a little boy that men don't cry. Finn however, seemed to be taking her words in strides as he attempted a flirtatious smile.

"Is this your way of comforting me Blue Eyes?" He asked even his tone sounding far more fake than his smile.

Riley in return scoffed at him. "Hardly." She told him putting on his beanie, lips turning up in a smirk. "This is my way of telling you to stop wallowing in self-pity and come down. We have a horribly painful way to die waiting for us. Possibly." The young blonde added with a small tilt of her head and shrug.

Finn breathed out what could have been a laugh and nodded. "Well, we wouldn't want to miss that, now would we?" He stood and offered Riley his hand. "Finn Collins."

"Riley Griffin." Riley took his hand and quickly took it away before Finn had the chance to bring it to his lips, real Casanova style. "And I wouldn't waste all that flirting talent on me Pretty Face. It would just go to waste." Not waiting for his response, Riley turned around, braided hair whipping at the fast motion, and moved to follow after her sister.

.

.

"Stop! The air could be toxic." Riley heard Clarke shout just as she and Finn made it to the lower level of the Drop Ship. Her twin had made it all the way t the front already taking charge of the situation, or at least attempting to. The only problem with her theory was that, if the air was, in fact, toxic they were already dead. It wasn't like they could stay inside the ship forever with no food, or anything really. The real question would be how exactly we preferred to die. Dehydration. Starvation. Radiation. Sheer Human Stupidity. They were all possible even more so with a group of teenage delinquents.

Walking over to the front to stand closer to Clarke and get a better view of whoever was at the door, Riley was able to hear his voice over the grown crowds of teens. "If the air is toxic, we're all dead, anyway." He retorted to Clarke just as Riley reached her older sister and took in his appearance with a frown. The guy at the front was older - just by a few years - and wearing a guard's black uniform. Hair was dark and curly, with olive skin and dark eyes to match standing tall and keeping everyone else at the distance from the door. From what Riley could further deduce though based on how in disarray his uniform was, and the fact that he seemed leaner rather than slightly muscularly built like most guards, he probably was Cadet. Probably being the keywords because why would the Ark send a Cadet and not an actual Guard - if they would have sent any - to keep them in order.

More importantly though. "He's right." The younger twin spoke with a simple shrug at the look Clarke sent her way. "Look we either die from whatever is out there or cramped here inside." If I'm going to die, let me at least see what the Earth is really like. "No offense but I-"

"Bellamy?" A voice sounded from the back of the lower level gaining the attention of most everyone already there. Female, by the softer and higher pitch sound, plus Riley actually saw the girl coming down the stairs. She had dark brown straight hair, olive skin, green eyes, about average height, but what took Riley in where the eyes. Green eyes like the ones she had drawn a long time ago in her Journal, but not quite as intense nor as beautiful. Green eyes where Riley's self-proclaimed weakness and the girl she had to admit was hot. However, her attention was quickly swept from the girl by the reaction of the Guard as he turned, tense and somewhat hopeful. Riley was willing to bet his reason for being here was her, which sucked a bit, but whatever.

The girl walked over to him, and once in front of each other the both took the other in with disbelief, relief, and somewhat awed which lead Riley to believe there was a form of relationship. Her eyes narrowed at the pair, analyzing them, as something in the back of her head nagged her constantly. Someone said something in the background but Riley could care less as she tried to solve the little puzzle that was before her.

"My God, look how big you are." The Guard - Bellamy - breathed out his lips twitching into a smile and just as the girl returned the gesture and embraced him tightly, it clicked on Riley mind. She blinked somewhat in surprise watching the siblings reunite, pushing down her teenage hormones crazed mind that jumped and cheers at the realization. If Clarke and she had been given the time, they would have embraced the same way, if not tighter, and that what she chose to focus on sparing a glance at her sister were both of their gazes met before looking back at the siblings. Sadly, that type of reaction wasn't on the agenda today, or any time soon really. There were bigger fish to fry.

"What the hell are you wearing, a guard's uniform?" The girl demanded as she pulled away and inspected her brother's clothes.

Raising an eyebrow, Riley watched as Bellamy looked down in somewhat shame or was it frustration mixed with some bitterness and anger. Could be all of it really but it was a curious reaction. _Curiouser and Curiouser,_ the blonde girl thought looking from one sibling to the other. _So, he's not from the guard and that means he sneaked in. Interesting._

"I borrowed it to get on the dropship." _Ding, ding ding! Riley, you are right. As always._ "Someone has got to keep an eye on you," Bellamy added both siblings sharing in another smile - Bellamy actually laughed - and then another hug.

 _How sweet, but no longer interesting,_ The younger Griffin sighed inwardly. Older brother risked his life to come and protect his little sister. _Typical and expected. It was what older siblings did, after all, no matter my how much older they actually were,_ Riley thought turning to look at Clarke who was now squinting her eyes at Bellamy. Before Riley could ask, or even wonder what was wrong though Clarke spoke up.

"Where's your wristband?" She asked suspiciously and Riley almost fell over at the question.

Had she not been listening? "Clarke he just said he used the uniform to _sneak into_ the dropship."

"Do you two mind?" The girl questioned in annoyance turning to look from Clarke to Riley before confusion dawned on her slightly before she continued. "I haven't seen my brother in a year."

 _I haven't seen my twin sister in a year either, darling but you don't see me hugging her and gushing while having a moment,_ was what Riley wanted to snark back but refrained from doing so. To be honest she surprised herself by that seeing as her self-control was, well, Riley usually had no filter for her words.

"No one has a brother." Someone from the back scoffed both the girl and her older brother turning towards the sound, both equally annoyed as Riley felt at the moment.

"No has a twin sister either and yet here we are," Riley commented too low for anyone but her twin to hear with a roll of her eyes ignoring the look Clarke sent her way. Hoesntly most times Clarke reminded her way too much of their mother. It seemed more likely that they were twins instead of Riley and Clarke, and that was creepy.

"That's Octavia Blake, the girl they found hidden in the floor." Someone else voiced from the back and Octavia seemed just about ready to pounce on whoever that had been. She was only held back by her brother pulling her closer to him as she struggled. Once more, Riley had to drag herself from some sort of induced teenage hormone trance.

"Octavia, Octavia, no. Let's give them something else to remember you by." Bellamy reasoned with his sister and she finally stopped calming down somewhat as she pulled away from him.

"Yeah? Like what?" The younger Blake questioned in annoyance and anger. Clearly, that comment had really gotten to her which meant extra sensitive topic, but then being remembered for something like that, especially by the meaning behind it, who wouldn't be sensitive.

"Like being the first person on the ground in a hundred years."

That phrase seemed to do tha trick as Octavia grinned finally calm, and everyone watched Bellamy pull down the leaver. Riley focused more on what it meant as the air pressure was released and the hatch to what could be freedom or death opened. Bright sunlight streamed in each and every single person on the dropship wincing, unused to the sudden brightness. It took a while but slowly, and after blinking several times Riley's eyes adjusted to the light -as did everyone else's - and they all took in the view in front of them. Unable to help herself, Riley took in a bout of fresh air releasing it slowly and relishing in it. She waited for pain or the burning sensation radiation would have on her skin, but nothing came.

Only half aware of awed tension around the delinquents as Octavia began to walk out, and jumped on the ground Riley took in the trees, the sky, the sun, the scent. It was all so beautiful, so real and everything she had thought it would be, maybe more. A dream becoming a reality right before her eyes, as she watched Octavia once more with baited breath. It took one more second that could have been an eternity really but then just as nothing happened for that one simple moment, it was like a dam was about to break loose.

"We're back bitches!" Octavia screamed and the damn burst out. Everyone ran wild, and for a moment Riley thought that this was it. Making one more eye contact with Clarke, she looked towards the vast baby blue sky, breathed in and then out. If this was the end, then at least she would die happy. Her one dream came true. She was on the ground, on a small clearing in the forest surrounded by trees that gave the illusion of touching the blue sky, and the sun shone so brightly warming her skin. It was just like she had dreamed way back when she had been a nine-year-old girl. The very same dream she kept on having as her heart longed for it to be real. Wishing for it to be just like her dreams, and it was. It really was just like her dreams.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Heya readers! Sorry it took so long to update there are some computer troubles but! I hope to fic them soon so you can expect less of a wait in up coming chapters! Thank you to everyone that kept reviewing, favoriting and following! You guys are the best! LOve ya and I hope you love this chapter as well!**

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They'd been dropped on the wrong mountain. Perfect. Not only did the Council forget to add at least a small first aid kit, or even some packs of water or snacks, they had dropped them about a ten-mile track away from Mt. Weather. Riley wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh, scream, or just plain out rejoice. There was a tingle in the back of her neck every time she looked at the peak that was Mt. Weather, and not the good kind. Something inside her felt a sense of danger just radiating from that place - even if she was miles away. It could be that, or it could be her nerves driving her nuts considering they had a very nasty habit of doing just that. All in all, Riley wished she could be like most people in their delinquent group and just walk around like a happy fairy in the forest.

Glancing back at said delinquents as they all screamed and cheered through the forest, while she sat on the ground preparing a bag of make-shift supplies, like a canteen in case they found water - made with some wire, peace of the parachutes, and a stick of wood to take the place cap- berries she'd managed to find nearby that did not look poisonous - Riley should have paid more attention to Earth Skills class- the blonde teen wished she really could pretend they weren't on a clock for survival and join them.

 _The curse of having been born with even half a brain,_ Riley thought as she placed all of them in the one actual gear bag the Ark had supplied them with, stood and walked her way back to Clarke who now hovered over a map -by the door of the dropship - marking the route they were meant to take on the hike to Mt. Weather. Not that the map had any specifics on forest routes, and if it did they would be severely outdated since Riley highly suspected there was no way the ground had stayed the same after almost a century. Sadly though it was all they had at the moment so there really shouldn't be any more room to complain.

"I got everything packed," Riley spoke up while Clarke turned to her for a brief moment, nodding with a small smile that Riley returned. "And by everything, I mean whatever I could find that seemed even remotely useful. Hope the berries aren't actually poisonous."

At that, Clarke gave Riley and unimpressed stare, shaking her head and going back to look at the map. "You are so not funny."

Riley snorted. She hadn't even been actually _joking_. The blonde was really hoping the berries weren't poisonous.

"We got problems," Wells informed Clarke and by default Riley with a grim expression on his face. Riley hadn't even seen him approach them and neither had Clarke as she turned to face Wells, briefly startled. "The communications system is dead. I went to the roof. A dozen panels are missing. Heat fried the wires."

"More good news you like to share Wells?" Riley questioned rhetorically and mostly sarcastic but genuine in her curiosity to see what else could go wrong. Honestly, by this time tomorrow half of them would most likely be dead if things kept going at this pace.

"All that matters right now is getting to Mount Weather." Clarke sighed shaking her head and for once not scolding or sending Riley a look because of her comments. "See? Look. This is us." She showed Wells the map which she had already marked thanks to a small piece of charcoal making Riley smiled briefly as she was reminded of their Dad. He'd been the one to teach them. "This is where we need to get to if we want to survive."

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Wells inquired curiously and confused at Clarke, but his question just made the already tense air around the three teens increase. Both blondes looking at him out of the corner of theirs for a second before their expression became pained. It didn't take long for Wells to figure out the answer. "Your father."

"Ah, cool, a map." One of the boy delinquents walked over to them. He was the kid with the goggles in his head, slim and pale with brown eyes and thick brown hair. It was however very clear that his main intent was the two blondes, judging by his smile and how he had moved closer to both of them. "They got a bar in this town? I'll buy you girls a beer."

Riley opened her mouth for her usual smart remark but was stopped by Wells who stepped in, grabbing a hold of the guy's arm and pulling him away. "You mind?" He questioned but there was a fine threaded line that spelled out 'back off'. Riley wasn't even sure if Wells realized he always acted like that whenever a boy or girl attempted the moves of both her and Clarke while he was present. Though with Riley it was more on a big brother protective mode and Clarke with a slight jealous boyfriend edge. How had Clarke still not realized their best friend was in love with her was beyond Riley's comprehension. Or maybe she had but preferred to ignore it? What worried Riley at the moment though was the way Wells action had caught the attention of almost everyone in camp. Once more, the younger blonde felt the tingle in the back of her neck.

"Hey, hey, hey, hands off of him." Another of the male delinquents stepped in for the other a large group of other guys behind him. Riley watched them warily and through narrowed eyes, red alarms blaring in the back of her head. "He's with us."

"Relax. We're just trying to figure out where we are." Wells backed off no doubt sensing the hostility coming through the observers. It was something they were a bit more than used to.

"We're on the ground." The false guard, Bellamy Blake, stepped into the conversation with his sister, Octavia, beside him voice loud and drawing if possible even more attention. "That not good enough for you?"

"Considering there is no food or water or any type of supplies in sight? No, it's not enough." Riley snarked being stopped from stepping closer to Wells by Clarke who held onto her hand, sending her a warning look to stay put. Seriously, she looked so much like their mother it was almost as if Abby Griffin had followed them down.

"We need to find Mount Weather." Wells stepped in cutting off whatever the older man was going to say back to Riley. "You heard my father's message. That has to be our first priority."

Riley watched the interaction, knowing Wells choices of words were not the best by a long shot. No one here had any respect or feeling other than hate for the Chancellor or anyone in the Council really. They needed someone to blame for everything bad that had happened to them and Riley had to admit that the Council and Guard of the Ark made it quite easy to hate them.

"Screw your father." Octavia voiced probably what everyone around them was thinking, tone full of spite as she did. Once more Riley had to murder the teenage hormones cursing through her very veins. It was honestly not the time for that. "What, you think you're in charge here, you and your little Twin Princesses?" And the fight was suddenly not necessary anymore. What was it with everyone thinking Riley, Clarke, and Wells were in some polygamy relationship?

"Did someone drop you in the head as a baby sweetheart?" Riley mocked tilting her head to the side as if she were sincerely concerned about the girl watching as anger arises within the dark-haired girl green eyes. She took her hand away from Clarke's hold and walked forwards feeling the eyes of almost the entire camp on the scene they were making. "You think we give two fucks about who wants or who's in charge? Cause we don't. They literally left us with nothing when the dropped us here. No water, food, weapons for defense, communication, or even a first aid kit. I'd give us a week before half of us have dropped dead, and that's me being _hopeful_ that half of you are even just smarter than a monkey on wheels."

"We need to get to Mount Weather not because the Chancellor said so, but because the longer we wait, the hungrier we'll get and the harder this will be." Clarke finished seeing how some of the delinquents backed even flinched at Riley's harsh tone. The younger Griffin had never been one to hold back with her words. Riley just didn't see the point in buttering up her sentences for people who were more than capable of understanding them. "How long do you think we'll last without those supplies? We're looking at a twenty-mile trek, okay? So if we want to get there before dark, we need to leave now."

"I got a better idea. You three go, find it for us." Blake spoke up head raised high with bravado, and Riley had the distinct urge to punch him. He just had one of those faces. "Let the privileged do the hard work for a change." He finished and some of the delinquents cheered in agreement at his words. Riley, however, was focused on that word once more. Privileged. Privileged to what exactly? Had they not been sent to the ground with the lot of them? They too were as expendable as anyone else. Riley was even sure someone had made the argument for her to get Floated ahead of time because she was the second child. She still didn't know how she had survived almost a year on solitary, probably all due to her mother and whoever she had managed to convince on the Council.

"You're not listening." Wells's voice broke through Riley's thoughts as she once more focused on the present.

"More or less," Riley turned to look at the Blake siblings nonchalantly everything about the way she stood challenging whatever leadership the older Blake was trying to establish. "What makes you think we'll come back for you? As far as you know the three of us and whoever else goes could stay there, safe, in Mt. Weather while you rot and die over here." If hearing the name of the mountain gave Riley a bad feeling saying it made it even worse. She almost shuddered right then and there.

"We all need to go." Once more, Wells came to Riley's defense as Bellamy seemed all just about ready to punch the blonde right then and there. Even went as far as to send the younger twin a warning look. He lacked the edge of Clarke's and her mother's, but it was a good try. Riley only shrugged. Besides, she had a point.

"Look at this, everybody," The boy from before, slim and about a medium height with dark blue eyes, brown hair falling over them, and a prominent nose on his face. He pushed at Wells before a mocking smirk made its way onto his lips. "The Chancellor of Earth."

Riley tensed watching the interaction with baited breath.

"Think that's funny?" Wells questioned the guy and if anything his smirk grew, and in one swift move, he kicked at Wells's ankle immediately compromising his balance and making him fall. Riley and Clarke both moved to aid him, the older twin being held back by one of the guy's 'buddies'. Someone moved to grab Riley as well, but the younger Griffin slipped through their hands quickly and with somewhat ease.

"No, but that was."

Moving from behind Riley tackled at the guy causing him to quickly fall to the ground while she remained upright, glaring at him on the ground. "As was that." She told him helping Wells stand just as the other guy stood, dirt and leaves on his face with just a few scratches. Riley didn't back down, she never did. "Congrats. You've gone from monkey on wheels to moron on the ground."

"You think you're funny, don't you princess?"

Riley smirked. "Hilarious according to you, and the dirt on your face. It's an improvement."

The guys sneered at her, and the blonde teen felt Wells tense just as she helped support him, doing just the same. She readied for an attack that never came because just about he was about to, Finn jumped in from a lodge on the dropship placing himself between Riley and the guy. "I think that's just about enough, don't you?" It wasn't really a question but Hook Nose stepped back, blue eyes cautious at the clear threat before him. "Besides, he has one leg and I'm pretty sure hitting a girl is plain out wrong." Riley wasn't sure if that offended her or not. "Why not wait until it's a fair fight?"

A tense silence followed, minus the feeble noises of the forest as Finn and the delinquent stared right at each other, neither seeming to move as the assessed the other up, and no one moving to stop them. Well, that is until Octavia stepped up with a flirtatious smile on her lips.

"Hey, spacewalker," She called to fin eyes flared as she looked at him up and down. "Rescue me next." There was a small pout to her tone and Riley couldn't help but roll her eyes. Her statement and Finn's smile seemed to do the trick to dissuade the tension however as everyone around them chuckled. They all walked away second after, the brown-haired boy taking the friend that had held Clarke back by the shoulder and walking to the other side of camp. Riley took advantage and moved Wells to rest against the walls of the dropship, close to where the bag and the map were. She immediately started to see the damage of the kick, Clarke moving to her side within seconds.

The older Griffin made a motion for Riley to move so she could take over, and the younger twin stepped made way for her sister. She started the mental countdown for the lecture that seemed to be looming over them like a bee to its honey. Wells seemed to sense it too as he turned his head away just so that Riley wouldn't use him as an excuse to try and get out of the scolding.

"You shouldn't have done that." Clarke began and Riley sighed moving from her crouching position to actually sit down on the ground. "What if Finn hadn't stepped in for you and Wells?"

"Then I would have been thrown around like a rag doll, but with a few good punches and kicks in, maybe some scratching," Riley responded raising her hands to her face, her nails had gotten longer, as had her hair which now reached well into her lower back - hence why she still held it in the French brain unlike Clarke who now had it mostly loose - with some bangs slipping into her face. "No nail clippers on solitary, you know."

Wells bit his lip to stop the snort that seemed to almost break free, which almost made Riley smile.

Clarke wasn't so amused. "That's not funny. You are not funny." Wells hissed as Clarke moved his leg the wrong way. "Sorry," she mumbled to him before going back to scolding at Riley. "What if other people had stepped in on the 'fun'? What then?"

"It would have hurt."

"Riley-"

"Uh! So Mount Weather." Finn stepped in, and Riley all but flew to her feet at the chance of not getting her ears busted by whatever Clarke was going to say next. However, if Riley knew her twin, which she did, the conversation had been paused. It wouldn't be over until she was finished, but for now, there was a small break. "When do we leave?"

"Now!" Riley replied all too eager and was quickly followed by Clarke who glared at Riley before nodding at Finn and turning back to Wells.

"We'll be back tomorrow with food." She told him a finality in her tone making it clear that he was staying right there where he was. Wells didn't fight her only looked between her and Finn with doubt.

"How are the three of you gonna carry enough food for a hundred?"

"Ninety-nine, actually." Riley corrected Wells turning her head to motioning towards the Blake siblings. The turning her eyes on Clarke and Finn. "And he does have a point."

Finn nodded before turning around and grabbing two boys by their shoulder's. Goggles, and the guy that had been next to him on the dropship that now held a herb to his nose. He had tan skin with a golden undertone, dark hair, and eyes, slim figure. They both looked up at the same time somewhat uncomfortable at first before relaxing while looking somewhat pleased to be brought into the group by 'Spacewalker'. "Five of us. Can we go now?"

Riley raised an eyebrow at him before looking at Clarke who nodded at Finn before giving a glance at her younger sister only to receive a silent shrug. She just honestly wanted to leave already. Being on the ground, just like she had dreamed. Riley wanted to see and feel everything that she could since dying fo radiation poisoning is still an option on the table. Dying of whatever was waiting for them in that forest was a possibility too, so best enjoy the view while it was possible.

"Sounds like a party." Octavia stepped in clapping her hands also very eager to leave. "Make it six."

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" Bellamy walked up to them and pulled his sister back and Riley opted for drowning them out. She already had her older sibling to deal with. Not that she didn't love Clarke to pieces, but sometimes her older twin made it especially hard to breathe with her 'concern'.

"Were you trying to take this off?" The question caught Riley's interest as she saw Clarke grab a hold of Finn's hand to show that he had tried to take off his wristband, seeing that the metal was badly scraped. Not really a surprise considering how they had been forced on everyone in this camp. Half of them probably didn't even know what it was or why it had been placed on them other than somewhat for the Ark to control them. And idea most teenagers would rebel against and considering who they had sent to the ground, they really should be expected to take them off sooner or later.

"Yeah. So?" Finn questioned taking his arm away from Clarke.

"So, we have no way of contacting the Ark, Pretty Face," Riley rolled her eyes at the brown haired teen. "That little gadget is the only thing telling them we're alive right now. Taking it off means you're basically dead."

"Should I care?"

"Well, I don't know. Do you want the people you love to think you're dead?" Clarke inquired and Finn instantly stepped down, head down. Clearly, that stroke a nerve with not only Finn but with Goggles and his friend -Riley really should start with getting their names - which meant there was someone out in space that they cared about. Family. "Do you want them to follow you down here in two months? Because they won't if they think we're dying."

Seeing that she had gotten through, Clarke backed off satisfied. "Okay." She nodded and looked at everyone. "Now let's go."

They all started to move, but before Riley could even take steps away from her twin sister Clarke held her back. The younger blonde already knew what was coming. "I know, Clarke." Riley sighed looking at her sister's lighter blue eyes. "What I did was stupid, but we both know I'd do it again. So why the lecture?"

"You can't go picking up fights everywhere Riley." Now it was Wells that scolded the younger twin causing both Griffins to turn and face him. "We're not in the Ark anymore."

"No shit Sherlock." Riley huffed, before shaking her head at Wells. She'd done that because he was her friend, or had been before he turned in her Dad. That still didn't mean she wouldn't step up for him though. Riley was sure it was part of her instincts now. "But fine. Next time I'll just let them at you. You're welcome, by the way."

Storming off after that, Riley moved to pick the map and backpack, placing the latter inside the former, and slinging one of the straps over her shoulder before moving to join the others. She paused waiting for Clarke as she talked to Wells before her twin made it over to her and they both began to walk, following the others.

"He's right, you know," Clarke commented somewhat grudgingly as they started to catch up with Octavia. "You can't just start picking up fights, Riley."

"Now you sound like Dad." The younger Griffin rolled her eyes though her lips turned up in a smile, same as Clarke's did.

"That's not an insult."

"I know."

"Riley-"

"I won't pick up another fight, okay?" Riley groaned already knowing Clarke's tone of voice. Unlike the others that were pure Clarke and Riley know that if let be, her twin could go on for hours. "That I can't win anyway." She added under her breath and grinned when Clarke rolled her eyes.

They'd finally caught up to Octavia when the girl turned to look at Clarke from the side. "Before you get any ideas, Finn is mine." The green eyes girl stated the look in them daring Clarke to say otherwise. Now it was Riley's and Clarke's turn to roll their eyes in sync.

"Before you get any ideas, I don't care." The older blonde mimicked before walking ahead of both Octavia and Riley.

Octavia turned her look on Riley, silently wondering the same thing causing Riley to roll her eyes once more. "Sorry sweetheart." The blonde sighed before winking at Octavia. "Don't really swing for the B team."

Walking ahead after that, Riley couldn't help the smug grin on her face as she joined up with the boys, knowing all to well she'd left Octavia gaping at her for a good while. Most people did when Riley stated her sexual orientation, which the teen didn't understand at all. She'd never really been 'in the closet' having asked out her first crush and girlfriend, a girl from Mecha named Selena when she'd been thirteen. There was nothing to hide since on the Ark same-sex couples weren't that uncommon or even looked down upon. Those belief died ages ago even before the Old World was destroyed by the bombs. In any case, if anyone didn't like it they could put sugar in it, Riley didn't care.

 _Maybe I should start wearing a billboard that just spells it out for people_ , the blonde thought before her attention was captured by the light of the sun filtering through the canopy. A large smile made it way to her mouth as Riley once more took yet another deep breath of air. _Welcome to Earth, Riley Griffin!_

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